By Lloyd Takawira
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has blocked opposition party, MDC’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) citing the event would disturb opening of schools.
Schools opened Tuesday for 2020 first term coinciding with the SONA.
The event led by party president, Nelson Chamisa was set for today at Mai Musodzi Hall in Harare’s high-density suburb, Mbare.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday (Tuesday) held at MDC Headquarters, deputy spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka accused the state of treating his party like it was “banned” through barring Chamisa from addressing citizens.
In November last year, MDC supporters were caught in skirmishes with police officers barring Chamisa’s Hope of the Nation Address.
Tamborinyoka added that it was shocking that police would use an irrelevant excuse as schools opening to bar their political activities.
“The police have today proscribed Agenda 2020, a key event for the party that was scheduled for tomorrow in Mbare, Harare, citing flimsy excuses that the event cannot proceed because the police are busy with the schools that are opening this week, as if the police have anything to do with opening of schools,” Tamborinyoka retorted .
Tamborinyoka further lamented the lack of recognition of MDC as a political organization in the country and said the event had been postponed.
“We are noting a disturbing trend where the police are routinely proscribing MDC events and treating the party as a banned organisation in the country.
“We continue to be treated like a banned or a terrorist organisation when we are a legitimate political party that is in Parliament and that controls 28 out of 32 urban local authorities.
“For fear of our (supporters) lives against this brutal dictatorship, and given what this regime has done before, we have decided to postpone the Agenda 2020 event to next week on Tuesday at a venue to be announced.
“We have postponed the event because the regime was budgeting for a clash, for blood and for violence and as a party we will not sacrifice the lives of innocent Zimbabweans,” he said.
